Snapper on basil and garlic emulsion from Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn

Snapper on basil and garlic emulsion from Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn

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Snapper three ways at the Palace Restaurant on Mission

Snapper three ways at the Palace Restaurant on Mission

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Sushi at Ichi Sushi

Sushi at Ichi Sushi

Favorite dishes from B. Patisserie, Sante, Ichi and A16 in Oakland

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This week I’m spending a couple days in Santa Cruz, doing some intensive dining research for an upcoming special section. The results of that trip will be revealed later next month, but before I left I was able to find plenty of great food to fill my plate and the Between Meals blog.

Photo #1: One of my favorite places is the new B. Patisserieon California. Owner and pastry master Belinda Leong, who worked at both Gary Danko and Manresa, creates some of the best sweets around — whether it’s a tart lemon tart, a puffy croissant or an unparalleled kouign amann, a Breton cake that’s kind of like a round, sweet, caramelized version of the croissant. These pastries have become so popular that many people don’t even realize that she does exceptional tartines ($10.50). When it comes to those open faced sandwiches, I love the Reuben and also the albacore tuna topped with shredded purple cabbage. It’s one of the best lunches I’ve had.

#2: Leong at B. Patisseriealso does one of the best quiches ($3.50) I’ve had. The crust is flaky and the filling barely holds its shape and quickly melts in the mouth, revealing the smoky flavor of bacon.

#3: I admit up front that the photo of the squid ink pasta ($12/$20) from A16 in Oakland doesn’t look that appetizing. It’s served ungarnished in a bowl, and when the sun goes down the bowl almost looks like a black hole. But the flavors belie the look. The calamarata pasta, coated in the black sauce, looks and has a similar texture of fat rings of calamari. The flavors blend together in rich, mildly seafaring notes, brightened with bursts of warm cherry tomatoes and a brown crunchy topping of breadcrumbs sauteed in bone marrow.

#4: A quick trip to Sonoma turned into a two-hour ordeal thanks to traffic in the city and at Sears Point, but fortunately I wasn’t disappointed in what Andrew Cain produced at the newly redecorated Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. The four course menu ($95) included seared snapper on a thick puddle of basil and garlic emulsion, next to a layered round of yellow squash and green zucchini, red peppers and a quenelle of tomato jam on top.

#5: Snapper also figured prominently into the five course ($50) fixed price menu at Manny Torres Gimenez’s new Palacerestaurant at Mission and Cesar Chavez. One course featured snapper three ways: a soup, a ceviche and a fillet topped with crisp the crisp-fried collar.

#6: At Ichi Sushichef/owner Tim Archuleta does all the work: he seasons the sushi with the appropriate powders, glazes and dollops so diners don’t have to dunk the pieces is soy sauce. His presentations are refined and sensational, and prices are reasonable for the quality. For example, two pieces of wild salmon nigiri is $6.75.